A George I brass lantern timepiece with alarm
A George I brass lantern timepiece with alarm

THOMAS MOORE, IPSWICH

Details
A George I brass lantern timepiece with alarm
Thomas Moore, Ipswich
The case of typical proportions with four columnar pillars supporting the bell secured with four straps to urn finials and pierced gallery frets, the dial signed Tho: Moore Ipswich in the foliate engraved centre with central alarm disc and blued steel hand, Roman chapter ring, the movement with verge escapement and central-swinging bob pendulum extending through unusual cut-outs in the side doors, the alarm pulley now lacking, hoop and spurs to the iron backplate
15in. (38cm.) high
Literature
Arthur Haggar & Leonard Miller, Suffolk Clocks & Clockmakers, Ramsgate, 1974, pp. 28-36,

Lot Essay

Thomas Moore was the second son of Roger Moore d. 1727. Roger married Elizabeth page in 1688 and had six children of whom Thomas was the second son. He presumably apprenticed under his father and was married in 1711 and had three children, the first being named Thomas.
In the Ipswich Journal of 17 December, 1720 there carried an advertisement This is to acquaint the Curious, That at the Great White Horse in Ipswich is to be seen Thos. Moore's most famous Astronomical and musical clock....
Thomas's business prospered greatly and in 1729 he invented a fusee watch that could be wound in either direction, a design for which was published in Thiout's Traite de l'horlogerie published in 1741. In his will he left the enourmous sum of 6,000 to various of his children and in addition some curious clocks including my musical spring clock, my ball clock, my rolling clock, the spring table and the moving figures standing above the stairs.
A lantern clock by Roger Moore (fig. 10 & 10A, Suffolk Clockmakers, op. cit.) clearly shows a blocked strip on one of the side doors and it is noted by the authors that this indicated the original presence of 'wings', however the slots in the doors of the present clock might suggest otherwise.
;

More from Clocks

View All
View All